1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of dental flossing devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of electrically driven dental flossing devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is common knowledge that flossing teeth is a very important part of home dental hygiene. However, flossing is widely ignored by many or most individuals. Many people are uncertain as to the correct method. In general, dental floss is usually supplied in a spool. To use it, a short length of floss is cut from the spool, wrapped around fingers of opposite hands, and inserted into the mouth and between the teeth. The maneuvering of the floss between the teeth with the fingers is very awkward for many people.
In the prior art, certain dental flossing devices for holding floss for use between the teeth are known. However, the prior art devices have not been entirely adequate. Specifically, they are cumbersome and bulky and are difficult to use.
The following eight (8) prior art patents were uncovered in the pertinent field of the present invention:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,253 issued to Moore on Nov. 25, 1980 for "Electric Dental Flosser" (hereafter "the Moore patent"); PA1 2. U.S. Pat. No. 4,245,658 issued to Lecouturier on Jan. 20, 1981 for "Automatic Flossing Apparatus" (hereafter "the Lecouturier patent"); PA1 3. U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,032 issued to Jousson on May 16, 1989 for "Power Driven Flossing Device" (hereafter "the Jousson patent"); PA1 4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,382 issued to Moret et al. on Nov. 14, 1989 for "Integrated Oral Hygiene System" (hereafter "the Moret patent"); PA1 5. U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,660 issued to Boggs on May 21, 1991 for "Automatic Flossing Tool" (hereafter "the Boggs patent"); PA1 6. U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,554 issued to Feinberg on Jun. 4, 1991 for "Dental Floss Dispenser and Applicator" (hereafter "the Feinberg patent"); PA1 7. U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,233 issued to Ritter on Dec. 3, 1991 for "Method and Apparatus for Removing Debris from Between and Around Teeth" (hereafter "the Ritter patent"); and PA1 8. U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,236 issued to Odneal et al. on Feb. 4, 1992 for "Dental Floss Machine" (hereafter "the Odneal patent").
The Moore patent discloses an electrically driven dental floss device which has a tip with a forked end adapted to hold a short piece of dental floss tautly across the forked end. The tip is secured to an output shaft on a handle. The device is designed such that the dental floss moves between the teeth. A switch is depressed to energize a motor within the handle to move the tip in a reciprocating straight line up and down to move the floss upwardly and downwardly relative to the surface of the tooth.
The Lecouturier patent discloses an automatic flossing apparatus. The apparatus stores dental floss, holds it automatically under tension and agitates and renews the floss during its manipulations. The floss unwinds from one spool and rolls onto another automatically. The floss makes a complete circuit passing by an oscillator imparting back and forth movements to the floss and subsequently to a two-pronged headpiece holding the floss under tension across the two prongs. The spools are connected by a clutch and crank transmission mechanism.
The Jousson patent discloses a power driven flossing device. It includes a dental floss holder which has a pair of downwardly curved tines, one of the tines being smaller than the other. The proximal end of each tine has a rounded surface around which the dental floss is wound for use. The longer tine is bent at a much greater angle than the smaller tine. The lower end of the floss base is friction fitted on the end of the shaft. A rotational oscillating motion is imparted to the floss holder.
The Moret patent discloses an integral oral hygiene system which includes an electric toothbrush. The toothbrush can be replaced by an interproximal gum stimulator, an interproximal brush or a floss holder.
The Boggs patent discloses an automatic flossing tool. It includes a hollow handle portion with a bifurcated head portion mounted on the upper end of the handle. A pair of parallel arms extend at an angle to the axis of the handle and are formed with slots which are on the facing sides of each of the arms. Within each of the arms are a pair of tines which are capable of reciprocal movement within the respective arms by means of a crank which is driven through suitable gearing by a motor. A pair of drive wheels are mounted adjacent the other ends of each of the tines and a loop of dental flossing material is positioned about the drive wheels.
The Feinberg patent discloses a dental floss dispenser and applicator. It has a hollow handle for holding a supply of dental floss and a pair of intermeshing gear wheels mounted within the handle for advancing the dental floss through a pathway. The Pathway contains a dental floss anchoring member, a pair of prongs for holding a section of dental floss in position for use and a pair of intermeshing gears in the handle for pulling the dental floss through the pathway.
The Ritter patent discloses an automatic dental flosser. It includes a housing with a handle and an operating head. The operating head includes a pair of hollow tines which extend in a first plane. A flossing assembly is operable from between and around the teeth. The flossing assembly includes a support member for supporting the flossing material. A first portion of the support member is disposed in the hollow tines while a second portion of the support member is removed therefrom. A drive member is operably associated with the first portion of the flossing assembly for linerably displacing the support member.
The Odneal patent discloses a dental floss machine. It includes a dental flossing attachment which imparts an oscillatory motion to a strand of dental floss. The attachment is mounted on a drive shaft of an electric tooth brush. The attachment has a housing which contains a supply spool and a take-up spool. An advancing mechanism is provided whereby fresh floss is positioned between the two prongs at the end of the housing by turning a knob without the need for manual threading of the dental floss through grooves.
In general, all of the above prior art devices are cumbersome for providing interdental cleaning and also are not efficient for changing floss for use by more than one person. Therefore, it is highly desirable to have a very efficient and also very effective design and construction of an electrically driven dental flossing device. It is also desirable to provide a device with the capability of rapidly and effortless changing the floss bow.